This disclosure relates in various aspects to an arrangement for using a template to form holes for implants in bone, preferably jaw bone, without any negative effect from the existing resiliency in the flesh surrounding the bone, for example the gum (gingiva). The template in question may be adapted to the shape or shapes of the bone and of the gum and has guide holes for a hole-forming unit which can consist of conventional drill equipment.
This disclosure also relates to a device in accordance with the above in which a holed template is arranged to be applied to an implantation site. The device in this case comprises one or more first apparatus arranged to scan the implantation site and initiate electronic, preferably digital, signals concerning the implantation site and send them to a computer processor. The processor may be arranged and operated to simulate the implantation site and the holed template which is adapted to the implantation site. The processor may be arranged to supply information on all or part of the simulated situation, and may also be arranged to forward or transmit the information to a second apparatus designed to cooperate with production equipment relating to the simulated holed template.
It has long been known to use templates to form holes in the jaw bone, for example. It is also known that it can be difficult to obtain the necessarily exact hole formation unless the gum, i.e. the gingiva, is folded back and the jaw bone thereby exposed, because the gum resilient properties can interfere with the template application and the hole formation.
There is a great disadvantage in carrying out surgical interventions for exposing the jaw bone, i.e. by folding back the gum. This causes inconveniences for the patient, and the implantation work is also painful because the formation of the hole and insertion of the implant have to be followed by a process of healing, which can last some considerable time.
What is needed then is an apparatus, system, and method to substantially shorten the time required for the implantation work. What is further needed is a system and method which uses computer-based scanning and production for the templates and the implantation process.